New Disney street aged with antiques

Aug. 10, 2012

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

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Dawne Keehne, a resort enhancement manager who is in charge of window displays, stands beside a window display at Julius Katz and Sons, one of the new Buena Vista Street stores at Disney California Adventure. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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An antique radio and a television from the 1920s are among the items in the window display for the Julius Katz and Sons store along Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure. Look for a Hidden Mickey in the window of the television. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Window designer Frank Franco cleans up a display at Elias and Company, a store in Disney California Adventure. The mannequin is wearing a tuxedo from the 1920s or 1930s time period. Disney designers found the tuxedo on eBay and it has never been worn. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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An electric Red Car Trolley toy circles a candy sculpture at the Trolley Treats shop at Disney California Adventure. The trolley goes along the base of a Rock Candy Mountain model. Rock Candy Mountain was planned as an attraction in Disneyland, but it was never built. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

An antique haircomb is on display as part of the Los Feliz Five and Dime store in Disney California Adventure. Disney also recreated labels and signs from the 1920s and 1930s for the window. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Antique typewriters and other items are part of the display at Los Feliz Five and Dime at Disney California Adventure. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Old toiletries, including these powder cans, were found to give an authentic feel to the display of Los Feliz Five and Dime, which is like a Woolworths from the 1920s or 1930s. The store is on Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Antique tin toys are among the items in the display window of Big Top Toys on Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure. JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Dawne Keehne, a resort enhancement manager who is in charge of window displays, stands beside a window display at Julius Katz and Sons, one of the new Buena Vista Street stores at Disney California Adventure.JOSHUA SUDOCK, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Anaheim – On Buena Vista Street, the entrance of Disney California Adventure, creators took extra care to construct buildings that replicate the look of 1920s and 1930s Los Angeles.

That look is pushed deeper into the park's equivalent of Main Street, U.S.A. with the window displays along Buena Vista: Designers tucked authentic antiques and vintage items into them.

Antique stores throughout Southern California were searched and eBay scoured to find the right stuff for 10 display windows. Items were matched with the theme of the business, such as Big Top Toys and Trolley Treats.

"We really, really try to be true to the time period," said Dawn Keehne, resort enhancement manager who is in charge of window displays. "The hard part was finding antiques that don't look like antiques."

Often, designers mixed old items with newer merchandise, going for the era's look. For example, Smartphone cases with sepia-toned photo designs sit on top of an old-fashion vanity.

The window displays reflect the fictional back stories of each business:

Trolley Treats: The story behind the candy shop is that it is run by a wife, who is a candy maker, and a husband, who is a miniature-train collector. The displays have fake candy coupled with antique Lionel trains, bridges, tracks and signals.

"He didn't know where to put the trains," Keehne said. "We researched what model trains and pieces were from the late 1920s and early 1930s."

Julius Katz & Sons: As the story goes the store, which carries home décor and seasonal merchandise, was run by a father and son. The father is a repairman, so the window display has pocket watches, glasses and instruments. But the son is trying to make it a high-end store. A major find for Keehne was an original 1920s television.

"It weighs a ton. It's mercury. We gutted the inside. I found this in Long Beach at an antique store," Keehne said.

Los Feliz Five & Dime: The store is meant to be like a Woolworths so the windows carry original containers of handi-tape, curl pomade and cashmere powder.

Big Top Toys and Elias and Co.: For the toy and department stores, designers deployed tin monkeys and clowns and Raggedy Ann and Shirley Temple dolls.

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